The trio went up to the Aviery that evening to find Crusher, so that Silver could send Elias a letter telling him that he had managed to get past his dragon unscathed. On the way, Silver filled Razor in on everything Elias had told him about Benedict. Though shocked at first to hear that Benedict had been a Nocturnus, by the time they entered the Aviery Razor was saying that they ought to have suspected it all along "Fits, doesn't it? Remember what Rutan said on the train, about his dad being friends with Benedict? Now we know where they knew each other. They were probably running around in masks together at the World Cup. I'll tell you one thing, though, Silver, if it was Benedict who put your name in the Flame, he's going to be feeling really stupid now, isn't he? Didn't work, did it? You only got a scratch! Come here, I'll do it". Crusher was so overexcited at the idea of a delivery he was flying around and around Silver's head, hooting incessantly. Razor snatched Crusher out of the air and held him still while Silver attached the letter to his arm "There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be?" Razor went on as he carried Crusher to the window "You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Silver, I'm serious". Silver knew he was only saying this to try and make up for his behaviour over the last few weeks, but he appreciated it none the less. Coral meanwhile was worried, if dragons were the first task, she was dreading what could be next. Razor threw Crusher out of the window, and it took him a few moments to manage to fly. The letter was heavier than usual, Silver couldn't resist giving a blow by blow of the entire fight with the dragon "We better get back to the Common Room. Mighty and Ray have no doubt gotten a surprise party together".
Sure enough the moment the portrait hole opened they were met with cheers and screams. There were cakes, drinks and fireworks going off above them. Marcos had shown off his art skills as the walls had multiple banners showing Silver going against the Stringer. Silver felt better than he had in ages, he had Razor back as his friend and he didn't have to worry about the next Task for three months. Manic came over with the egg "Man, this is heavy. Come on, Silver, open it. Let's see the clue" "He's supposed to work out the clue on his own" Coral said. Silver raised his eyebrows "I was supposed to work out how to beat the Dragon on my own as well", Coral went red. Silver took the egg "Who wants me to open it?" there was a cheer "You want me to open it!?" another louder cheer. Silver turned the handle at the top of the egg, and it shot open. The egg contained a strange bubble of water with a gold glowing light inside. The moment it was revealed the egg released a terrible shriek so loud that everyone covered their ears "Shut it!" Mighty yelled. Silver slammed the egg shut allowing everyone to hear again "What was that?" Larry said. He tried to think "Sounded like a Devil Watcher. Maybe you've got to fight one of them next". Antione was chalk white "It sounded like someone getting tortured. You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse" "Don't be prat, Ant, that's illegal" Ray said. Mighty agreed "Sounded like Hamlin singing. Maybe you have to attack him when he's in the shower". There was a sudden pop and a giant Mobani Flicky was standing in the middle of the room with half a biscuit lying on the floor in front of it. Ray laughed "Oh, sorry, Ant, I shouldn't have left that lying around". After a minute, the feathers disappeared and with another pop Antione was standing where the Flicky was standing. Everyone laughed even Antione. Mighty got everyone's attention "Shifter biscuits. Me and Ray invented them. Seven Silver rings for one. A real bargain". It was nearly one in the morning before Silver went up to bed. He placed the little model of the Stringer on his cabinet, and it curled up asleep. He had to admit Big was right, Dragons aren't all bad.
December as usual brought high winds and sleet. As always this made the castle very drafty, but Silver managed to appreciate what they had whenever he passed the Grimm ship or the Sylvania carriage which both looked like very cold. Winter was also one of the few times where Care of Magical Creatures with the Plasmas was bearable. They gave off a lot of warmth even at a distance which was good because keeping a distance was the main of objective. The Plasmas had grown again and had managed to kill a few more of their brethren as there was only ten left. There job this lesson was to see if Plasmas hibernate by putting them in boxes with blankest and pillows. The Plasmas would burn the hands of anyone that touched the box they were already in. Silver tried stubbornly to drop one into the new box but it got so angry that it burned the box and chased the students. Most of them ran and barricaded themselves in Big's cabin, Rutan in the lead. "Well, well, this does look fun" Breezie the Hedgehog was walking along the grounds towards them. Coral quickly performed a spell to knock out the rampaging Plasma hoping Breezie didn't see too much. Breezie shook Big's hand "Hello. Breezie the Hedgehog. Daily Prophet Reporter" "Thought Locke said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore". Breezie pretended like she didn't hear that "What interesting creatures you have there?" "Oh, Plasmas" "Plasmas, really? I've never heard of them". Silver noticed Big's face turning red, where had he gotten the Plasmas. Coral seemed to be thinking the same thing "They're very interesting, aren't they, Silver?" "Oh, yeah, very interesting" Breezie moved past Big "Ah, Silver, you're here. So, you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favourite lessons" "Yes". Big was beaming which Breezie noticed "Teaching long, have you?" her eyes went over to the other students hiding in the cabin. Big didn't notice "This is o'ny me second year" "Lovely, I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? Share some of your experience of magical creatures? The Prophet does a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these, er… Plasmas" "Uh, sure, why not". Silver had a very bad feeling about this, but he had no way of communicating this to Big without alerting Breezie. Class ended before she left which meant he had no choice but to leave "She'll twist anything he says" "As long as he didn't get the Plasmas illegally, he should be fine" Coral said. Razor nodded "Besides, he's done stuff before, and Locke's never sacked him. At worst he'll just have to get rid of the Plasmas which sounds pretty good to me".
Silver thoroughly enjoyed double Divination that afternoon; they were still doing star charts and predictions, but now that he and Razor were friends once more, the whole thing seemed very funny again. Professor Pyjamas, who had been so pleased with the pair of them when they had been predicting their own horrific deaths, quickly became irritated as they sniggered through her explanation of the various ways in which the planets could disrupt everyday life. "I would think that some of us…" she stared very meaningfully at Silver "Might be a little less frivolous had they seen what I have seen during my crystal gazing last night. As I sat here, absorbed in my needlework, the urge to consult the orb overpowered me. I arose, I settled myself before it, and I gazed into its crystalline depths and what do you think I saw gazing back at me? Death, my dears". Undina and Lyco gasped and listened intently "Yes, my dears, death. It comes ever closer circling the castle". Silver thought at this point if he died as many times as Pyjamas predicted he'd be a medical marvel.
Silver and Razor were at dinner in the Great Hall when "Silver, is Coral okay?" Antione asked. Silver looked and saw Coral sprinting towards him from the entrance "Silver, you've got to come with me. You'll never guess who've met!" "What?" "You'll see, come on!". She grabbed his arm and forced him out of the Hall, Razor followed behind. They went down six floors "Coral, where are we going" "You'll see". They kept going until stopping at a wall that had a painting of a fruit bowl "Wait a minute. Coral, I know what you're doing" "What?" she said with anticipation all over her face. Razor got a look at the painting "Oh, Coral, you're not still doing this" "What about the teachers?" Silver added. Coral shook her head "They're busy. The dragons are getting sent back today" "And what, you want us to help question the Marmolims while they're gone" "What, no, I've already been down here for that. It's when I was, I met… Oh, you'll see, just come on". Coral touched the pair on the painting, and it opened revealing a secret door. Coral grabbed Silver's arm again and pulled him inside until they reached the other end of the passage. He had one brief glimpse of an enormous, high-ceilinged room, large as the Great Hall above it, with mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped around the stone walls, and a great brick fireplace at the other end, when something small hurtled toward him from the middle of the room, squealing "Silver the Hedgehog, sir! Silver the Hedgehog!". The wind was knocked out of him as something hit his stomach and hugged him "Lue?" "It is Lue, sir. It is! Lue has been hoping to see Silver the Hedgehog, sir and he has come to see Lue".
Lue finally let go and stepped back. He looked exactly like Silver remembered him except now he was wearing gloves, the same ones Silver used to free him. Silver was amazed to see him "Lue, what're you doing here?" "Lue works here, sir. Locke hired Lue and Momo" "Momo's here, too?". Lue nodded and took Silver's hand leading him through the kitchen. They passed the four long wooden tables that stood there. Each of these tables, Silver noticed as he passed them, was positioned exactly beneath the four House tables above, in the Great Hall. At the moment, they were clear of food, dinner having finished, but he supposed that an hour ago they had been laden with dishes that were then sent up through the ceiling to their counterparts above. At least a hundred little Marmolims were standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing, and curtsying as Lue led Silver past them. Lue stopped at a fireplace where a Marmolim sat by it on a stool "Momo, sir". She wasn't looking good, her head was down, and her hair was dirty and covered in ash "Hello, Momo" Silver said kindly. Momo glanced back at him and then burst into tears "Oh, dear. Momo, please don't cry" Coral said sympathetically. She just looked back at the fire and kept crying. Lue looked awkward "Would Silver the Hedgehog like a cup of tea?" "Uh… Yeah, okay". Instantly six Marmolims appeared with a tray of tea and biscuits "Good service" Razor said taking a cup. Coral frowned at him, but the Marmolims looked delighted, bowed and went back to their duties. Silver sat with Lue "How long have you been working?" "A few months, sir. Lue came to Locke looking for work. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a Marmolim who has been dismissed to get a new position, sir, very difficult indeed. Lue has travelled the country for two whole years, sir, trying to find work! But Lue hasn't found work, sir, because Lue wants paying now!".
At these words the other Marmolims around them all looked away as if Lue had just said something embarrassing. Coral however was very pleased "Good for you, Lue" "Thank you, miss. But most wizards doesn't want a Marmolim who wants paying, miss. 'That's not the point of a Marmolim' they says, and they slammed the door in Lue's face! Lue likes work, but he wants to wear gloves and he wants to be paid. Lue likes being free!". The other Marmolims now moved away as if Lue had an infectious disease. Lue ignored them, he was apparently used to it "And then Lue finds Momo and she says Momo has been freed as well". Momo cried even louder, snot dribbled from her nose, and she made no attempt to wipe it. Coral kneeled down and tried to comfort her. Lue spoke a bit louder "And then Lue realises there is a man who is friends to Marmolims, Locke. So, Lue and Momo went to meet with him, and Locke took us on". There were proud tears in his eyes "And Locke said he will pay Lue if Lue wants paying. Ten Gold rings a week and weekends off. Although, Lue doesn't know quite know what to do with weekends yet". Momo glared at him "Shameful! Marmolim proud of freedom. Momo is ashamed of hers!". Coral tried to choose her words carefully "But Momo… You were good. You didn't do anything wrong. It's Puff who should be ashamed of how he treated you". Momo clasped her hands over her ears "You is not insulting my master, Miss. Mr puff is a great wizard and was right to sack bad Momo". Lue shook his head "Momo isn't used to freedom yet, sir. Not used to speaking her mind" "Can Marmolims not insult their masters?" "No, sir. It is part of the Marmolim's enslavement. We keep their secrets and our silence, sir. We uphold the family honour and never speak ill of them but now…".
He looked around like he just discovered scandalous "Locke has said Lue is free to call him a barmy old codger if Lue wants, sir". He laughed nervously "Lue wouldn't though, sir. Locke is a friend of Marmolims". He leaned closer and whispered "He asked Lue to try and convince the others to follow Lue's lead". Silver smiled "Good for you. But just because you can't speak badly of Locke you can still speak badly of Clutch's family". Lue looked frightened "Lue could, sir… Lue could tell Silver the Hedgehog that… that…". It looked to be causing him physical pain "Lue's masters were… bad… Dark Wizards". Lue stood there shaking for a moment shocked by his own daring. He suddenly grabbed he fire poker "BAD LUE!". Silver rushed and grabbed the poker before he could hit himself. Lue gave a sigh of relief "Thank you, Silver the Hedgehog" "You just need practice" "Practice?". Momo looked furious "Practice? You should be ashamed of yourself, Lue. Speaking of your masters like that" "Lue has no master. Lue doesn't care what they think anymore" Lue said defiantly. Momo sobbed "Oh, Lue is a bad Marmolim. My poor Mr Puff, what is he doing without Momo? He is needing me, he is needing my help! I is looking after the family all my life, and my mother is doing it before me, and my grandmother is doing it before her. Oh, what is they saying if they knew Momo was freed? Oh, the shame, the shame! Now he is alone setting up the Tournament with only Bad Mr Barker". This caught Silver's attention "Barker" "Oh, yes. Mr Barker is a bad wizard. But Momo isn't saying. Momo keeps her masters silence". They couldn't get another word out of her and realised they should probably go with how late it was. Lue led them to the door "Lue is buying clothes for his collection. Doesn't wear them, they itch but they are fun to show off. Lue is buying himself a hat for Christmas" "I could give you my Christmas jumper if you like" Razor said, he never liked the jumpers his Mum knitted him. Lue was delighted and made sure to give them extra snacks before they left "Thanks, Lue" Silver said before closing the painting over the entrance. The trio headed back to the Common Room wondering what Momo was talking about "What does Puff have against Barker". Coral shrugged "Probably just thinks he's not a very good Head of Department and honestly he has a point". Razor swallowed the mouthful of cake "He's better than Puff. At least Barker has a sense of humour" "Don't let Hamlin hear you say that" Coral joked.